BRISBANE: Australia will again be without senior fast bowler Josh Hazlewood for the second Ashes Test at the Gabba, but team management remains hopeful he will return later in the series. Meanwhile, captain Pat Cummins is nearing full fitness, raising the prospect of his comeback as early as next week.
Hazlewood missed the opening Test in Perth after experiencing hamstring tightness during a Sheffield Shield game. While initial scans were inconclusive, he has continued rehabilitation and is expected to join the squad in Brisbane to progress his recovery.
“He’s working through the first week of his rehab,” head coach Andrew McDonald said. “Once we move further along and get clearer timelines, we’ll communicate those. We’re confident he’ll be available at some stage in the series, but we need the early rehab phase completed first.”
Cummins Tracking Well for Potential Brisbane Return
Cummins, who impressed in training ahead of the Perth Test, has had his bowling schedule slightly adjusted due to the match ending inside two days.
Originally slated to bowl on the fourth day, he instead returned to Sydney, pushing back his workload by a day.
McDonald indicated that a decision on his availability for the day-night Test at the Gabba could go down to the wire, but early signs remain encouraging.
“For those who saw him in Perth, he looked like a player close to finishing his rehab,” McDonald said. “The intensity was there, the ball speed was there — now it’s about reinforcing soft-tissue resilience and making sure we don’t rush him.”
Should Cummins return in Brisbane and the Test run its full course, he would still enjoy an eight-day recovery window before the third Test in Adelaide.
Starc, Boland and Doggett Shine in Perth
With both Cummins and Hazlewood unavailable, Mitchell Starc led Australia’s attack superbly in Perth, capturing 10 wickets, including a career-best 7 for 58 in the first innings.
Scott Boland recovered strongly after a costly opening day, producing a crucial spell in the second innings, while debutant Brendan Doggett impressed with five wickets in a composed Test debut.
McDonald admitted some responsibility for Boland’s early struggles, revealing the coaching group had asked him to bowl fuller than his natural length before reverting to his usual plan.
Debutant Jake Weatherald also made an impact, bouncing back from a first-innings duck to play a key role in Australia’s run chase alongside Travis Head.
“It’s always an unknown when players step up from Shield cricket, but they looked right at home,” McDonald said. “Doggett executed the bouncer plan well, then hit the right areas, and Jake showed exactly the type of intent we expect in our batting group.”
Australia still have the option of adding a 15th player to their Brisbane squad. With Hazlewood and Sean Abbott unavailable in Perth, only Michael Neser was added as cover.
